There’s often controversy over which quarter of the school year is most difficult, but I can assure you there is a right answer. During the first quarter of the year most students, including myself, find the adjustment into new courses to be a major struggle. Sometimes, I’ll find that a class ends up easier than expected, but more often than not I find myself in classes that are truly difficult and time consuming.
My quarter one experience goes something like this: at the beginning of the quarter , I’ll get a not-so-pleasant surprise in PowerSchool as a result of a, shall we say, ‘interesting’ test. I then come to the realization that I need to do major damage control, and will be hard at work to get my grade back up.
With the quarter coming to a close, here are some ways I always find helpful to combat bad grades for the second quarter and fight off first quarter fatigue.
The most important thing is to keep up with homework. I like to create a ‘plan of attack,’ which is a master list of everything I need to get done that’s categorized by priority and due date. For example, I tend to highlight the things due the next day so I know what needs to get done that night. The specifics of this list can change from person to person, but regardless, having every assignment written down helps me visualize what needs to get done and prevents me from forgetting to do certain tasks.
Organization is key to staying on top of work, and it’s important for me to give all my notes, handouts, and tests a designated place such as a folder or binder. And no, this does not mean shoving every paper ever received into one pocket of a folder. I like to give each class its own section and keep papers in chronological order or separate them by unit.
The most important factor, however, is time management. The two dreaded words we all know and hate. Fighting the urge to procrastinate and wait to the very last second to complete our work is a battle we are constantly fighting, and seemingly one that I am constantly losing. There are many ways to prevent procrastination, and different strategies to effectively get work done with busy schedules. My personal favorite being to complete my easier tasks right away, then slowly chip at larger assignments over time. Another example of one is making checklists and completing homework as soon as it is assigned.
My final piece of advice would be to meet with your teachers. They know the class best and if you have questions, chances are they can give you the best answers. It can never hurt to get clarification before a big test, or revisions on an essay.
Small things like this can help boost your grade significantly over time. Though these tips get my stamp of approval, whether you use these specific strategies or not is up to you and how you function best. As we exit this treacherous quarter, I wish you the best of luck in the remainder of the year.
